Sight



33*255. OR l9327a1 +1 5R 1. L. BUMPAS AND PLFALCKE.

. SIGHT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,!917- RENEWED JUNE 20- l9l9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1,327,141. Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

u uuuuuuuuuu T a] lNVENT OR A'r-rorm EY WITNESSES J. L. BUMPAS AND P. FALCKE.

SIGHT.

APPLICATION men IUNE 22. I917. RENEWED um: 20. m9.

1 ,327, 14 1 Patented J an.. 6, 1920.

G I I I I l I I I l u q "5 a I l l l I l ATTORNEY UNITED s'ra'rns PATENT orFioE.

J'AMES L. BUMPAS AND PHILIP FALCKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID BUMPAS ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF HIS RIGHT TO UNITED STATES ORDINANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SIGHT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES L. BUMIAS and PHILIP FALoKn, citizens of the United States and Germany, respectively, the latter being a declarant, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a sight for firearms that is particularly adapted for use with those of a military character, though capable of application to any firearm that requires sighting to vary the curved path or trajcc tory between such firearm and the object or target, wherein the sight hole is caused to relatively travel angularly with the axis of the bore of the barrel, by a sight-hole forming member that is limited in its movements to rotary motion.

The usual or common form of rear sight for firearms is one that is slidable upon a graduated frame and is also further provided with locking means that ordinarily partakes of the nature of a thumb screw that serves to place the parts under compression.

Many of the usual sights are provided with peep-holes and also with a V-shaped notch, the use of which depends upon the kind of target or object and the degree of accuracy to be employed in sighting.

The V-shaped notch being usually em ployed in quick-firing where the time is limited for sighting purposes, and the peephole is used when fineness and accuracy of sighting is required as in slow fire or with a relatively slow moving or stationary target.

Both classes of sights have their advan tages that are dependent upon the rate of fire and the relative movement of the target or object. Either one of the sights may be used separately, but as a rule are not instantly available by reason of their nonii'iterchangeability as the hole and notch are separated.

A rear sight for firearms and especially those of a military character should be strong and rigid in construction, permitting the instant availability for use, without change of setting, of either the pcep-hole or notch, and one in which the setting for different ranges or distances may be quickly accomplished without the necessity of unlocking and locking of the movable member for Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 305,704.

each change of sighting position, which makes for a saving of time in sighting and ranging or range shots and increases the utility of the firearms, and again such a sight should be one that is available, by reason of its construction, for use with and upon the many types of firearms as well as those that partake of the ordnance character which may be guns of the mobile artillery, and, further, the sight should be one that will have a battle range sight that will be substantially automatic in its setting.

To accomplish these various advantages the invention has for an object to provide a sight that combines the advantages of a peep-hole with the notch either of which may be used, as both are instantly available.

It has for another object to provide a sight that is automatically held in its adjusted position.

It has still another object to provide a rotatable member comprising spaced spirally or helically formed elements whose lateral edges produce the shape of the sight hole.

And a further object is to provide a sight that is strong and rigid in construction, one in which the setting for the range may be accomplished with ease and rapidity avoiding the necessity of unlocking and locking for each change; one in which the shape and space it occupies is substantially the same at all times as no slidable parts are employed; one in which, when in one position, a battle range sight is always in place for use, and a sight that may be employed to advantage with firearms of the shoulder firing type or with the various classes of guns whether of the machine, mobile or position type.

Broadly stated, the invention comprises an open frame having a suitable connection with a: base, a rotatable member carried in the frame, which member may be formed of suitable spaced elements that may be arranged spirally or helically on the longitudinal axis of the member, the lateral edges of the element being adapted to form a spiral slot, producing a sighting hole that may be caused to travel end to end of the frame upon the rotation of the rotatable member, said frame being provided with suitable graduations corresponding to the displacement from the horizontal plane for different ranges, means for retaining the rotatable member in anyone of its positions,

Patented. J an. 6, 1920.

Application filed June 22, 1917, Serial No. 176,444. Renewed June 20, 1919.

means to retain the frame in its operative and inoperative positions, means to rotate the member, said latter means embodying battle range sights, and markings on the member to cooperate with the graduations 0n the frame.

One practical form of construction and assembly will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rifle with the sight in a raised. or operative position.

Fig. :2 is a side elevation of the sight opposite to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the sight showing the graduations.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged view of the hinged joint.

Fig. 5 is of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is of Fig. 3.

F 7 is of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the spiral elen'lents or rotatable member.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the rifle sighted upon a relatively near target.

Fig. 10 is a diagrannmitic view of the rifle sighted upon a distant target.

Fig. 11 is a face view of the rear sight hole when in proper sighting alinement with the front sight for the position of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a face view of the rear sight hole in proper sighting alinement with the front sight for the position of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is afront elevation of the front sight.

In the preferred embodiment about to be described the invention is shown in connection with a rifle of the shoulder type, but this showing is merely for illustrative purposes, as the sight is capable of use with guns of the ordnance type, such as machine guns, field artillery, or position guns.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the rifle will be generally indicated at A, the barrel of which is indicated at B. The rifle may have mounted upon it, adjacentthe muzzle end, the usual front sight 10 that may be of any desired shape or design that will effectively cooperate with the rear sight.

The rear sight may be provided with a base 11 that is provided with the countersunk screw holes 12 to aceon'nnodate flllister or cheese headed screws that may be employed to secure the base to the barrel, in a workmanlike manner. The base 11 may have its under surface curved. as shown in the several figures. and indicated at 13, so that it will fit more snugly to the external surface of the barrel B. The base 11 is so formed that it will provide a hinged connection for the frame 1 1 at one end so that the frame may lie or be placed in two posia sectional view of the line a sectional view on the line 6-6 a: sectional view on the line 77 tions. The frame 11 may then be placed in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane through this hinged connection, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 1.

This hinged connection is formed by pass ing a pin 15 through the sides of the base 11 and through a suitable hole formed in the base of the frame 11. The base 11 may be provided with lip-standing flanges or ribs that serve to protect and guide the frame 11 in its several positions. These flanges are indicated at 16 and 17.

Extending transversely of the base 11 there is a hole or through passage which serves to accommodate the latch bar This latch bar is preferably well fitted to the hole and at one end is provided with a push button 19. Adjacent the exit of the passage from the base, preferably upon the flange side 17, the passage is provided with an enlarged recess 20 that is concentric with the said passage. This recess :20 serves to accommodate a spring 21 which acts against the under side of the push button 19 and against the bottom of the recess 20 tending to maintain the latch bar 18 in its operative position. As shown more, particularly in Fig. 5, this latch bar is provided with an L-shaped member or portion, indi -ated at which is provided with a latch 23. By pressing the push button 19, the latch bar 18 may be caused to move transversely of the base which will serve to disengage the latch from its engaging position. The base 23 in the space lying between the flanges 16 and 17 is preferably flat and at a suitable point therein there may be formed a curved depression 24c.

At a suitable point in this depression 21, there may be formed the inverted V-shaped projection 25, the point of which lies in the same plane as that of the flat surface shown at 26. The frame 14: may be provided with a slot or recess 27 through which passes the pivot pin or pintle 15 which serves to form the hinge oint connection between the frame 14: and the base 11.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 5, this recess 27 is of such shape that it will accommodate the coil spring 28. One end of this coil spring 28 is adapted to bear against the surface of this recess or slot 27, while the other end bears against the flat surface 26 of the base. The coiling of this spring 28 is such that it operates to move the frame 14 automati ally to a vertical position and when there serves to maintain it in such position. The frame 11 is preferably open sided and consists of the spaced members 29 and 30. The top of this frame 11 may be provided with. the cap or end piece 31 that may serve as a cover and also as a wear plate for the spring This spring may be of the compression type. The base portion 33 of the frame 1% may be proill) weus a g WWMWH;

vided with a recess 34 that may serve as a hearing or journal for the cylindrical projection or stub shaft 35 that is preferably formed upon the end of a rotatable member to be hereinafter described.

In this base portion 33 of the frame 14 there may be formed suitable slots which is adapted to operate the notched wheel 36. As shown in Fig. 6, this Wheel is provided with V-shaped notches 37. Four of these V-shaped notches 37 are shown, but any number may be employed, or if desired they may be eliminated entirely. The purpose of these U-shaped notches will be described more particularly hereinafter.

The frame 14 may have formed upon its facing side or the side facing the user of the rifle and upon the members 29 and 30, the graduations indicated at 38. These graduations are purely arbitrary and correspond to the number of yards over which the gun may be sighted. Upon the left or outside of member 30, there may be formed the grooves 39 and the notches 40 which may serve to more clearly indicate the graduations formed upon the facing side, which graduations are indicated at 38.

The frame 14 is shown as being open sided and has preferably, extending longitudi nally, a circular bore which serves to accommodate a rotatable cylindrical member that may be generally indicated at C. This member C is preferably formed with a spirally arranged slot so that said member is composed of the spiral or helical elements 41 and 42. These elements are joined together at their ends and the whole assembly forms the rotatable member C.

The external shape and curvature of this rotatable member C is such that it will be accommodated in the circular bore formed in the frame 14. The lower end of this member C may be provided with a suitable square projection and extendin from the square projection is the stub shaft 35 which is journaled in the base portion 33 of the frame. The squared portion indicated at 44 is adapted to cooperate with a square hole formed in the wheel 36. The upper end of this rotatable member contacts with the spring 32. When the cap 31 is secured in position upon the frame 14, the spring 32 is placed under compression, thus forcing the rotatable member 0 into firm engagement with the wheel 36 and base 33. The rotatable member is thus held in a secure manner.

The wheel 36, by reason of the square proj ection, is capable of rotatin the member C. Upon one of the spiral num ers, which may be indicated at 41, and adjacent one lateral edge, indicated at 45, the graduations or markings 46 may be placed. As shown in the several figures, these graduations or markings 46 are formed with a series of spaced lines that extend in an axial direction of the member C. These lines extend inward a certain distance and are connected with transverse lines.

When the frame 14 is raised to its vertical position the vertical lines upon the member 41 lie adjacent one edge of the graduations 38 that are found upon the members 29 and 30 forming the frame 14. These lines contribute to form an accurate positioning of the rotatable member and the short transverse lines form a continuation of the markings 38. The other spiral member, indicated at 42, has upon its inner face a blackened section or portion, indicated at 47. This blackened portion extends throughout the length of the lateral edge and serves to prevent reflections.

The frame 14 may be provided with a suitable notched recess 23 to cooperate with the latch end 23 of the latch bar 18. Thus the frame 14 may be retained in a horizontal position. A pressing of the button 19 thus releasing the locking means, will permit the spring 28 to raise the frame to vertical position when it is desired to use the sight.

The formation of the spiral members 41 and 42 is such that a s)iral slot isi, formed therebetween and a sighting hole, a portion of which may be indicated at 48, is produced. The rotation of the rotatable member C, by means of the adjusting wheel 36, causes this sighting hole or notch 48- to travel up and down in the frame 14. This sighting hole is formed when looking through the slot in a transverse direction and is then bounded by the opposite lateral edges of each of the spiral elements.

WVhen the frame 14 lies in a horizontal position, one of the notches 37 formed. in the periphery of the wheel 36 will serve as a battle range sight, while the opposite one will engage with the inverted V-shaped projection 25. Thus, one of the notches will be at the top in its registered position for use. The engagement of the notch 37 with the projection 25 will prevent rotation of the adjusting wheel 36.

The front sight, as shown more particularly in Fig. 13, may be secured to the barrel B in any approved manner for use in conjunction with the rear sight, one means of which is shown where the sight is connected with a base 50. As shown, this front sight comprises a substantially diamondshaped body, generally indicated at 51, so formed that the upper portion constitutes an equilateral triangle having its apex up-standing in a vertical direction. lVithin the boundaries of this equilateral triangle may be formed the sight opening 53, which is shown as being an equilateral triangle.

As illustrated, the base line 54 of this triangle 53 corresponds with the base line of the upper triangle 55 of the body portion 51.

\Vhen the rifle is sighted upon a relatively nearby object, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9, the front sight opening 53 registers with the rear sight opening 48. The juncture of the lateral edges forming the rear sight opening or notch 48 generally indicated at 49. When the front sight opening 53 is brought into proper registering alinement with the rear sight opening 48, the base line 54 of the front sight opening generally corresponds with an imaginary base line which may be drawn transversely of the rotatable member C at the juncture 49. As will be seen from Fig. 11 where the relative positions of the front and rear sight are shown a substantially diamondshaped opening is formed. The large portion of the front sight hole 53 is visible for sighting purposes and the user or a-imer of the firearm is enabled to sight accurately upon the target or object.

In Fig. 10, the rotatable member hasbeen rotated to comply with the requirement of firing at a. target placed a long distance away. The rear sight has been elevated to comply with this requirement. The relative positions of the front and rear sight are shown in Fig. 12. An inspection of the Figs. 11 and 12 would indicate how the sight hole or notch 48 is made to change its position to correspond with different ranges for firing at objects or targets placed at different distances. The sight opening 48 is thus caused to have an apparent vertical travel by means of the spiral formation of the slot and the construction of the spiral elements 41 and 42.

In practical operation and use, as aarticularly directed to the rifle shown in *ig. 1. the frame 14 is formed to lie in its horizontal position and adjacent the barrel B.

When it is desired to use the rifle at other ranges than the battle range, the push but ton 19 is pressed which releases the frame 14. lVhen the latch is disengaged, the spring 28 serves to move the frame to vertical position. Then it is desired to adjust the sight for some other particular range, the wheel 36, which may be provided with milled portions between the V-shaped notches 37, is rotated which communicates its motion to the rotatable member C. This is done by means of the square projection or shoulder formed upon the end of this member in cooperation with the square hole formed in the adjusting wheel 36. Rotation of the member (1 causes the sight hole 48 to apparently move up and down in the frame, so that it forms not only a peep hole, but a V-shaped notch that may be used for sighting purposes.

At the apparent juncture of the two lateral edges, indicated at 49, there is formed the lower sides of the sighting hole 48. When this juncture is brought into alinement with the graduations 38 upon the frame, one of the longitudinal lines of the member C registers with the inner edges of one of the members 29 or 30. At which time, one of the transverse lines will register with the transverse markings on the frame, as carried by the members 29 and 30. WVhen sighting through the hole 48, the blackened edge 47 prevents reflections and enables a true sight to be obtained.

From the construction herein described, it will be seen that the changes of a peep-hole sight are instantly available with the change to a V-notched sight. Both of them are in stantly available for change. In the construction shown, it requires about threefourth of a turn of the milled adjustin screw 36 to move the rotatable member (J through its range of sighting distances.

From the assembly, it is to be particularly noted that there are no sliding parts connected with the direct sighting or adjustment of the rotatable member C which forms the real sighting element. The sight may be quickly adjusted to any one of the desired ranges for firing, and by means of the shape of the sighting hole 48 an accurate bead may be drawn upon the tar et or object. The shape of this sighting hoTe 48 is conducive to accuracy in shooting.

lVhen the sighting arrangement, which has been described, is employed the availability of a peep hole sight is combined with that of the notch type of sight. Through the rotation of the rotatable member C, in cooperation with the triangular front sight, a very accurate and fine sight may be drawn upon the target or object.

As there are two parts in the construction of this sighting device, they are not liable to damage in using the device, as it is particularly adapted for military arms. It combines in its construction, ruggedness adaptable for field work, and at the same time the accuracy of sighting that may be employed for the usual target shooting. This combination of factors is an essential one where fineness and accuracy of shooting is desired.

Vhat we claim is i 1. A sight comprising a frame connected with a base, a rotatable member disposed therein composed of spiral elements, and means to rotate said member.

2. A sight comprising a frame connected with a base, a cylindrically shaped rotatable member removably secured within the frame and composed of spiral elements, and means to rotate said member.

3. A sight comprising a frame hingcdly connected with a base, a rotatable member of cylindrical shape that is composed of spaced spiral elements, means to rotate said member, and means to retain the member in predetermined positions.

l. A sight comprising an open frame hingedly connected with a base, a rotatable member of substantially cylindrical shape that is composed of spaced spiral elements extending longitudinally of the member,

. means to rotate the member to cause the lat- 6. A sight comprising a graduated frame having a base, means to retain the frame in a plurality of positions, a cylindrical member mounted for rotation movement within the frame and composed of spiral elements forming a spiral slot extending longi tudinally of the member and producing therein a sighting hole whose position in the frame may be changed by the rotation of the member, means to rotate the slotted member, and means to restrain the movement of the rotatable member.

near F11 7 A sight comprising aframe, a rotatable member removably secured in the frame and composed of spaced spiral elements so arranged as to form a spiral slot that extends transversely through and longitudinally of the member, means to rotate said member, means to retain the member in any one of its positions, and means to retain the frame in a plurality of positions.

8. A sight comprising a frame, a cylindrical rotatable member composed of spaced spiral elements so arranged as to form a spiral slot transversely of the member and longitudinally thereof producing a sighting hole, and means to rotate said member to cause said hole to appear to move in a rectilineal path in said frame.

9. A sight comprising a frame, an element rotatably mounted therein, said element being formed to produce a sight opening or notch therein that may apparently be elevated or depressed upon the rotation of the element, and means to rotate element.

10. A sight comprising a frame, a member rotatable therein having a sight opening therein which apparently moves longitudinally of the frame upon rotation of the member, and means to rotate said member.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

JAMES L. BUMPAS. PHILIP FALCKE. 

